YEGPIN 2018

Before we begin…this article was scheduled to be published some two or three months ago, but Connie’s health issues forced a delay. Life has this way of throwing one a curve ball it seems. She’s mending now and doing darn good and so we’re back in full force but hopelessly behind and left scrambling. We sincerely apologize to those who have been waiting on the piece. Better late than never, I guess, here it is. And it’s wonderful photo essay with us, as we tend do far too much, incessantly blah-blah-blahing in the background. There will be a follow up article not far behind this one. Enjoy!

We’ve arrived! Dateline Edmonton and it’s a bee-line to the Alberta Aviation Museum north of downtown, the venue hosting the YEGPIN (aka Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Expo) event which we’ve come to document. We’re on the scene first thing in the AM, on opening, and stay until we’ve run out of steam. We left some fourteen hours later, exhausted, but with big smiles all around – didn’t quite make it to closing but tried. It was pinball, pinball and more pinball and we got to chronicle it all and the most amazing vibe here at this event. It was a slice of heaven hanging with all these members of the fun loving “silver ball” fraternity. YEGPIN for the win! That euphoria when you get the high score – that was us. All day.

The Team arrives, almost first in the door, and surveys the scene. As far as the eye can see it’s games at the ready some hundred and fifty or so pins and perhaps a third as many vintage vids. Welcome to the best damn day of your life. A walk-about has us planning our approach to the shoot. We always get a lay of the land if we can, first. Up there, a walkway that will be put to good use. It’s still quite early, and eerily quiet, but soon that’ll all change. A few folks wander about, giddy in anticipation. Pick your machine, any machine. All are on free play and any you like is yours to challenge. Later some of the most popular machines would see line ups forming.

The oldest pinballs at this YEGPIN event date from the early to mid-1970s. This was the “Electro-mechanical” or “EM” era, with score reels and those always familiar chimes. There’s lots of “Gottlieb Wedgeheads” here, single player games with generally deep rule sets, highly regarded in play and very collectible. For EM aficionado, it’s pure bliss. Also seen are machines from makers Bally, Williams, and others. In the EM and early Solid State era, Bally, Williams (who later joined forces) and Gottlieb were the big firms. All are now gone, at least from the pinball landscape. Bally and Williams make slot machines for example.

Most games here belong to collectors. Many are for sale.

Already a game’s gone down – pinballs are high maintenance you know – but an elite force of red shirted techs are on patrol and are quick to tackle anything that misbehaves. Included in these dedicated volunteers is master Gary Makota. If you’ve been a reader of this website you’ve seen him before. We’ve shadowed with him on a number of repair calls he’s done and revel in his skill. He’s been at it since the ’70s and takes on the problems that others can’t (or won’t). Think fearless. Think effortless. That’s him.

Ahead, 14 hours at YEGPIN Edmonton 2018.

The YEGPIN venue fills and room is soon at a premium. It’s young and old, those who’ve never seen a pinball and to others to which it is a familiar friend. At the far end, it’s tournament play, a row of machines each to be challenged by the best of the best. A leader board keeps tabs on who’s who and monitors allow one to look at the action up close. A machine is played, the score entered, and it’s on to another. It goes on for most of the event.

On the other end of the building a tourney for the video game enthusiasts. Who plays best at Ms Pac-Man? And the prize…it’s a Ms Pac-Man! Play is hot and heavy and watched by many. And it’s smiles all around. No one, and I repeat no one, wears a frown. It’s like being a kid again and it shows on every face. We brought some Pac-Man scratchie tickets along for good luck. But didn’t win – damn you Pac-Man! My name is Chris D and I have this, ahem, gambling problem.

Down there, a re-themed pin, a former “Williams Millionaire” from 1987, now “Donald Trump’s Millionaire”. Some people like to customize machines like this, replacing artwork and adding new sound effects, but generally otherwise keeping the playfield layout and rule set as it was. “Build the Wall!” Fake News!” The soundbites fly. It’s a most chuckle worthy theme, and even a tad daring considering the edgy political climate, even if full on tongue and cheek and one that reflects the crazy times of today

Soon there’s not an empty machine. The place is hopping. Shouts of glee, that distinctive “clack” heard on wining a free game (keeping in mind, play is free anyway, but still the pride on doing it), the ching-ching-ching from the old school pins, the soundtracks of newer ones. A booming din fills this old airplane hangar.

It’s getting real serious down at the two tournaments. That look of concentration, we call it “pinball face”. Heck, the world could be collapsing around you and still you play oblivious to anything but the game. In one corner Gary Makota works on a particularly troublesome machine. It’s an elusive problem that takes many hours, but if anyone can solve it, it’s him. He’s been there, done that but admits it was a challenging fix.

The Donald’s “making pinball great again!”

Light flash, the noise, the sea of people. All around it pure chaos. Scan the crowd…yup he’s having fun, so is she, and that person over there too. For but a moment all the world’s problems are washed away and it’s a state pure joy. Just look at all those happy faces! Takes us away from the ordinary and humdrum pinball gods.

Centaur, from Bally, early 1980s. Played it! Aced it! Adored it! Thought it the coolest machine ever back then. Got pretty good at it too, a skill since lost. I just had my behind handed to me. King Pin! That one is a drain monster as I recall. Atlantis, another “Wedgehead”. Used to be a replay on it was easy to get. Nor this day. F14 Tomcat (Williams 1987) rules! It’s a very fast game. A favourite vid is spotted, Gaunlet (Atari 1985). Chexx Hockey gets plenty of action.

Old friends from Calgary are seen (see: Keeping the Faith) and new ones from Edmonton made. Cheers and greetings and more play. It’s a club and we’re all members.

A Bally Vector (1982). Any pin is a good pin but some are better than others and this one seems hard to get into. Understans it was designed by a committee…and it shows. That methodology never works. Over there a Corvette, Bally from 1994. From Gottlieb, Buck Rogers circa 1980, played expertly by some little kid. He’s done this before…mom or dad must have a machine at home. More people, more noise, the place is packed. The media shows up, shoots a few quick scenes and is gone. We love the immersive approach and not the quick in and out as they tend to do. More tourney play, some winners, some losers. It’s the joy of victory, the groans of defeat. Only one can take the top prize. Later it’d be trophies won and handshakes all around and class photos.

More people watching. YEGPIN we love you!

Over there, new machines are available for play. And of course, for sale. Owning a pin does not come cheaply but is it satisfying. Most current makers are represented, Stern, Jersey Jack, and Chicago Gaming who makes “reproduction” machines that look and play just like, and perhaps even better, than the originals on which they’re based. They’ve reissued some Williams/Bally titles form the 1990s for example. All machines see heavy play. BTW, pinballs are usually made in runs, and once a run is done, they move on to a different design. Most games today are made in limited runs (a few hundred to a few thousand typically), making them pretty rare. In the peak period, 1970s-1990s, runs of ten thousand or more were commonplace.

I think we’re going deaf is so loud in here. Cost of doing business! All around it’s action and interesting folks. People watching is made all the better in a venue like this. No one even pays us any mind and with that you get real and honest expressions.

Machines here go back to the “EM” era.

Wandering the aisles – played it, played it, played it! Both Chris & Connie have been playing since kids, so for a loooong time. We’re dyed in the wool pinheads but still are no strangers to old school video games. Dropped a king’s ransom getting good at them back in the day. That skill’s gone now it seems. It’s not like riding a bicycle!

More noise, more flashing lights. A break outside, stuffed and mounted, a 1960s Voodoo Fighter, a 1930s-1950s era Norseman bush plane and Cold War era Bomarc Intercontinental Missile. Ahh, the cool air of twilight. We so need to visit the Alberta Aviation Museum next time we’re in the area. It’s been a while.

And now it’s “YEGPIN After Dark”. The tourneys are history, the lights are dimmed and the music pumped. It’s a more adult thing. It’s glow sticks and disco balls. Wander about more, play a bit more, people watch a bit more. The time flies and looking at the watch it’s been better than twelve hours. Didn’t seem like it though. I think we can do a couple more, but making it to the end, into the wee hours, seems unlikely. Looks like were human after all. A few more shots and we hit the road. Bye-bye Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Expo. Sleep comes easy.

Over breakfast the following morning, it’s talk of the event. How bloody epic it was. And it’s that blank stare one gets on daydreaming. We’re back there again and getting high score. Lost in the moment. And on seeing the pics that make up this article, were there yet again. It was that good and memorable. And we hope you enjoyed tagging along. Or maybe you were seen in the article? Speak up if you were.

There will be a part two to this article. In the second instalment it’ll be more about the machines seen at YEGPIN, and less on the experience. But it’ll be no less entertaining, we promise. Lots yet to see.

If you’d like to attend this event in 2019, go here: YEGPIN Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Expo. You won’t regret it. But hurry and order as the event’s soon.

Extra photos of the event…
Just Pins @ YEGPIN 2018.

Our homage to the silver ball…
Gottlieb’s Mustang.
Card Whiz.
Pinball Art.
Keeping the Faith.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: May, 2018.
Location: Edmonton, AB.
Article references and thanks: All the fine people @ YEGPIN Edmonton Pinball & Arcade Expo 2018. Hope to return for 2020.

A quiet moment before the crowds…

Finding time to play too.

We simply wander around capturing the vibe.

Lost in the game.

And they’re all ages.

Tournament play – note the cameras.

And soon the place is buzzing with activity.

From above…

Getting worked on.

The tournament line.

When all hope has been lost you call Gary.

From the early 1980s, this “Bally Vector”.

Here in an old airplane hangar.

Corvette Pinball dates from the ’90s.

Joystick!

All those machines making all that noise.

It’s a stubborn problem.

F14 Tomcat (1987) is a great game.

Over at the Pacman Tournament.

A machine much older than the kid playing it.

A menacing look from “General Bison”.

“The coolest machine ever!” – your author @ 16y.

It’s called “pinball face”.

Red shirted techs are kept busy.

Coaxed a smile…

Pac-Man let us down.

And we “heart” trains!

Loved him in Pirates…

The view from here…

Behind the action.

Project Pinball puts games in children’s hospitals.

A walkway affords us some creative angles.

And the play goes on.

It’s good to colour coordinate.

And the media comes.

Tournament sees dozens of players participating.

And over this way.

Check this, test that.

That look of complete concentration.

We’ve been spotted!

Cameras everywhere!

From the mid-1980s, Gauntlet.

Under the dome, it’s “Chexx Hockey”.

The joint was happening…

Checking the leader board.

Peering around a “Wedgehead”.

It took place at the Alberta Air Museum.

A Voodoo, stuffed and mounted.

YEGPIN, After Dark.

Down come the lights…

And the play goes on…

The tourney winds down.

Never going to give you up!

Elvis sighting!

A long exposure brings out the ghosts.